Celebrating Baltimore’s Babe Ruth And The Final All-Star Game At The House He Built

“The only real game, I think, in the world is baseball.”  So said Babe Ruth.  Agree with him or not, I have no doubt that the grand-daddy of home runs is up in the baseball heavens, prepping himself to bid farewell to his iconic home.

Uh-huh. Yankee Stadium is going down and the ensuing countdown - considering the All-Star break typically marks the mid-point of the season - inevitably brings up times of reflection and moments to remember.  While Yankee fans and baseball fans in general might mourn the destruction of the House That Ruth Built, they can take comfort in knowing that just because his stadium is getting bulldozed, the Sultan of Swat isn’t going anywhere - he’ll always be in our hearts. Continue reading Celebrating Baltimore’s Babe Ruth And The Final All-Star Game At The House He Built

NYC Is Just A Hop, Skip And Train Ride Away From Aberdeen Along the Rail Line

We get to the park and ride at 6:06 a.m. Wednesday, June 25. It costs nothing to park. Printing out tickets is a breeze - swipe your card, confirm, print. Departure is at 6:35 a.m. and it is ON TIME. Yay!

We sit in the café section of the Amtrak that has big open booths. My niece Paula sets up her iPod. I set up my laptop on the spacious table and plug it in - not wasting the battery. I’m on wireless so now I just have to get it working. When we begin to move, she looks around and takes it in, her eyes wide and that smile is just brewing. “This is amazing,” she says. I haven’t heard this 14-year old say much of anything with a 5 a.m. wake up call. We are in for a treat alright. Continue reading NYC Is Just A Hop, Skip And Train Ride Away From Aberdeen Along the Rail Line

Into the Home of the Evil Empire: Don’t You Hate That You Have To Love Yankee Stadium?

Yankee Stadium is among the oldest of ballparks, pre-dated only by Chicago’s Wrigley Field (1914) and Boston’s Fenway Park (1912), and it’s going down after this season. My husband Neil and I decided to take an impromptu day trip there. Every baseball fan should. And like Ol’ Blue Eyes advises: we did it our way.

Good news: Parking for the stadium was a cinch - we didn’t even have a parking pass. Neil decided to drive around for an extra 20 minutes, it was so simple. Plus, New York driving is so much fun.
Bad news: Yankee fans represent. It was like Ravens Sunday in Baltimore - we were flung into a tidal wave of Bronx Bombers. But guess what? Continue reading Into the Home of the Evil Empire: Don’t You Hate That You Have To Love Yankee Stadium?

Super Bowl Sunday: Music, Food, Celebrities and, yes, even a little Football

Not a fan of the Patriots? Not a fan of the New York football Giants? Maybe football is just not your thing? Surely you know by now that there are other reasons that people tune in to the ‘big game,’ which airs Sunday on Fox at precisely 6:17 pm. Here is a sampling of some of my faves:

- First and foremost, I have to tell you about one of the greatest days that my husband, Neil, and I shared together. We were fortunate enough to be at the dance when the Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Giants in Tampa at Super Bowl XXXV. Let me tell you something: watching the half-time show was impressive. The performances were good, yes, but what I am really referring to is the construction and deconstruction of the stage on the field and how quickly they got it done.

That year MTV was responsible. After the first half convened and the players went to their locker rooms, the mammoth stadium screens came on and Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler and Chris Rock did pre-recorded skits with some of the musicians featured in the show. This bought time for the stage to get set. The field was dark. We could see all kinds of goings-on (when we weren’t watching the skits). It was amazing because once the show started: lights, camera, action! It was a full-scale production going on. Those girls and guys who worked diligently behind the scenes deserve major props. Continue reading Super Bowl Sunday: Music, Food, Celebrities and, yes, even a little Football